Just as I was saying 'You don't bring me flowers anymore', my hubby surprised me with long stem carnations for valentine day.
I wasn't thinking of trying to propagate them until I read your post. What a great idea!

Here is what I did ;-

1- Cut off two inches at the bottom end and throw away. Put them back in the water.
2- Prepare appropriate medium, I potted them up in a 4 inch plastic container filled about 3/4 with moist medium, water thoroughly.
3- I noticed these carnations have extra long internodes so I would only use a two leave node with 1/2 - 1 inch stem attached below node,
aided with rooting hormone, stick in the soil with one node barely even with the soil level.

PS.I stick bottom end into the soil, ha -ha.

4- Firm Cuttings.
5- Water thoroughly and set them in a shady location. Can you tell I am a water fanatic!
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, often experimenting on your own is the best way to learn, try it and keep your fingers crossed.

A few years ago I lived in an area near the coast with many carnation greenhouses where the long stemed cut flowers were grown and packed. These carnations are grown between strings in greenhouse rows that support the stems as they get tall. As you might imagine this is a labor intense industry. In the 1980s many carnations started to arrive from south America at the same time the cost of natural gas used to fire the steam boilers to heat the greenhouses, when up dramaticly. Most of the growers had to give up. I do not believe the species grown accounted for the long stems, only tactics used in the growing caused the long internodes. Al

i understand the sentimentality ... but in all reality.. the form of the cut flower plant is not a form that will do well in your garden ...

i would press the flowers in a big book .. and find other garden appropriate plants ....

you can barely find a decent carnation that stands up properly to begin with.. let alone one with 2 foot stems .. that will stand up .. so then there is staking ... etc ...

ken

I'll be interested in knowing how your experiments turn out, too. In case it doesn't work, and what you desire is to grow similar flowers with that wonderful clove fragrance, pinks and dianthus barbatus are easily grown.

Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides), Cheddar Pink (D. gratianopolitanus), and Cottage Pink (D. plumarius). Bloom time: late spring. Pinks are a favorite perennial for use in rock gardens and as an edging plant for the bed or border. The low, spreading growth habit, grayish-green foliage, and fragrant carnationlike flowers make them welcome additions to the garden. Look for 'Bath's Pink,' 'Firewitch' or 'Itsaul White' among others.

My personal favorite is Sweet William (dianthus barbatus). Easily grown from seed, it's a biennial or short lived perennial. The individual florets form a ball-shaped head and the stems are long enough for small bouquets. Sweet William remains green over the winter here, and should for you, too, in TX and AZ.

Let us know how the cuttings turn out.

Nell

The method mentioned above is one of the recommended propagation methods on the web site below.

The stem leaves are also nodes along the flower stem. Cuttings from that stem with just 2 nodes should sprout roots, and generate a new plant. Without the special growing conditions you may not get the wonderful long stems, or the large flowers, but it will be a clone, with the same flower as the original.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carnation, Dianthus Caryophyllus, Gardening

I use a mister. Available at ebay they are called cloners.
Water shoots up to the 45 degree cut on the stem. Used it for 5 years now about 75 pr cent success rate.
\GOOD LUCK